MLK Day

Found this list interesting. The U.S. has more unofficial "holidays" than any other country, but only 10 of them are federal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_holidays_by_country

 

For Angola

Bet that makes for some cheerful reading in the greeting card aisle.

 

According to Taylor Branch's tremendous triology about MLK/civil rights movement, MLK wrote all his own stuff. He leaned on the Bible heavily, of course, and, like any preacher, I would imagine, recycled a lot of his own stuff as themes recurred. I don't think he got a lot of help with any of the writing, though. He certainly didn't have a designated speechwriter.

 

You know what? This whole "beat up on Al Gore because it's snowing and therefore the world can't be warming up" line of thinking is really tiresome. Any moron can look around the globe and see that the effects of climate change are going to make life pretty damn difficult for the human race for the foreseeable future.

 

Was he Canadian? Mexican? Japanese?
Not trying to debate the merits of celebrating his birthday as a holiday here, just historical fact. Except for four years in the early 1860s, Lee was as American as mom and apple pie. Hell, he was almost the Union Army commander at the start of the Civil War.

 

Lee was an American who gave up his citizenship to fight for a foreign power in a war against his former country. He was a traitor.

As commander of the Confederate army his citizenship was not restored in 1865 as it was for other members of the Confederacy. While he attempted to have that done, it was not. In fact, he did not become an American again until 1975 when his citizenship was restored by President Ford and backdated by 110 years.

http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/spring/piece-lee.html

In all reality, Lee should have been hung from the highest tree because how many Americans died because of Lee? The fact that his birthday is celebrated across the South should really cause some reflection.

 

Yeah, well...

For some people., it's easier to grab for the low-hanging fruit than to put together a thoughtful post.

And the Al Gore thing is about as tired and lame as it gets.

 

I actually watched Oprah today. She had an interesting clips from back when her show really was interesting....the Little Rock students from the first integration and some whites who were students there that day, among others. Very insightful and very interesting how those events changed their lives over time.

One thing that bugs me among all that I read and heard...I've come to the conclusion that some people cannot distinguish between those who support states rights today in current issues from those who used states rights to mask their intentions with slavery and integration.

 

Americans didn't die because of Lee. You can pin it on Lincoln calling for 75,000 troops to invade the South. That's when the fence sitters, such as Lee and many others who weren't generally in favor of succession, took up arms to defend their homes.

If anything, you can say Lee prevented the deaths of many more because he had sense enough when to put an end to the war.

 

Fuck. I worked Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Our company won't even pay time and a half for working MLK Day. Just another day for them.

Hell, if slavery were truly abolished, how would we ever get a paper out? Back to work, slaves!!

 

After Lee surrendered, Jefferson Davis was the one who pushed for the war to continue at all costs. He refused to allow Confederate soldiers to head back home, insisting that they continue the fight. Lee was a decent man, so I'm wouldn't speak badly of him. To celebrate his birthday over MLK Day does seem somewhat insensitive, but whatever.

 

Those dam Republicans once again creating a toxic environment for America.

Al Gore is a clown - that is all.